This invention relates to a method of anchoring sheet material to a framework, and in particular to a method of anchoring sheet material to a framework to form a building structure.
The specification of my copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 850,252, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,516, describes building structures having a generally rectangular floor plan and having a framework covered by sheet material. Basically, the framework is, in each case, constituted by a plurality of parallel arches, which extend at right-angles to an axis of symmetry of the floor plan, and end sections. A rectangular strip of material is provided between each pair of adjacent arches, each strip being provided with beading at each of its longer edges, the beading sliding along correspondingly shaped slots in the edges of the arches. In this way, the strip cannot move laterally away from the arches. The end sections of the building are covered in a similar fashion with, for example, triangular pieces of sheet material.
In order to anchor the ends of the strips or sheets of material use has hitherto been made of the traditional way of anchoring the canvas of large tents such as circus tents and marquees. With this method, the ends of each strip are provided with eyelets and are laced to metallic bars of approximately 21/2 inch diameter. The bars are then anchored to the ground to hold the ends of the sheets against the ground. This method has proved unsatisfactory in that it is complicated and time-consuming.
Moreover, where two such building structures are joined in a side-by-side relationship, the sheet material is not required to reach the ground but is anchored at a valley gutter above the ground level. The traditional method of securing the ends of the strips of sheet material at this level is also by lacing them to horizontal fixed bars and this is unsatisfactory and time-consuming.